September 25, 2006

Dmitry Dmitryevich

[Update: Miles Hoffman emailed eloquently saying that I've mischaracterized his
argument. I think Hoffman minimizes the importance of understanding
Shostakovich's time; Mr. Hoffman disagrees. It's a free country, and slamming people wasn't the reason I started this blog. So I deleted the offending line. Life is short.]

Whether you think he was a Soviet hack, a secret dissident, a public dissident, or a little of all three, today is still Shostakovich's birthday, and he would have been 100 years old. Everyone go have a shot of vodka and smoke four packs of cigarattes in his honor.

The music, contrary to what Daniel Barenboim has written, is not just about those politics, but the history behind it adds layers of meaning to the interpretation, and even though the exact meaning is difficult to pin down, we should still make the attempt. For as Alex Ross reminded us, "For some reason, though, music is treated as a childish
realm in which fables serve as well as facts." Sort through the fables to find the facts, for the music deserves nothing less than that noble attempt.